Episode 23: Q & A with Jason – Fun with Shoulder Anatomy!

On this episode Jason answers three of our listener questions and it just so happens that they all focus on some aspect of shoulder anatomy. We also talk about cats a lot. Here are the questions:

* Why do we flex the ankle in poses like Reclined Pigeon?
* Is “pull the shoulder blades down” a “bad” alignment cue?
* In Plank Pose, do you push strongly through the arms and upper back? Or soften the shoulders?

We recognize that it can be difficult to listen to a conversation about anatomy without visuals. To help you out, I put links to some of the shoulder-oriented posts and sequences we have on the blog.

WRITE A REVIEWIf you like the podcast, please leave a review or rating on iTunes! I’m learning that it really does help others find it and it helps me to know which episodes resonate with you! You can also follow me on Twitter @yogalandpodcast.

Thanks so much that was so well explained even without the visuals. It has cleared up a couple of gray areas for me. Not having a teacher and living in a small country town your podcast is very much appreciated.

I feel like in my childhood when everyone from young to old where listening with wide open ears to a very popular radio broadcast “Theater on microphone”. At that time was quiet in fashion to be a good listener:). Not today, when we all want to speak and act.

Listening and not performing mechanically could be challenging,telling your brain “let the monkey calm down and listen to some anatomy”.Cool stuff.
Love it!

I loved this podcast! As other folks mentioned, it worked really well for me without a visual. I felt even more attentive and focused on the content. Jason does have a great radio voice! I really appreciated the speed at which he spoke. It allowed me time to listen to what he was saying, comprehend/process it & then explore while he was speaking (i.e., getting into plank pose, or flexing the foot & crossing the leg for reclined pigeon). One question that I didn’t hear covered – when lifting the arms above 90 degrees, what is the queue to draw the shoulders away from the ears, that should replace “drawing the shoulders down”?

Again, this was an excellent podcast! Keep more anatomy coming, please! 🙂

Great podcast – thank you Andrea – and Jason for your valuable anatomical insights. I find listening, without the distraction of visual distraction, really helpful when processing that information. And just remember Jason – don’t look at her upper trapezius – it’s the equivalent of answering the question: “Does my bum look big in this”!!

Awesome podcast!
I would love to hear about foot placement in Warrior One and Warrior Two…..I was taught square the hips in Warrior One and back foot 45 degrees in Warrior Two and have since learned these may not be the best cues. I’ve also heard various alignment differences such as heel to arch alignment versus heel to heel alignment. thanks!

I just read the other comments and I totally agree – a very good podcast with great explanations of anatomy. Jason is extremely talented in the way he breaks down anatomy issues (and other yoga stuff) and I really appreciate that you both take the time to do these podcasts for us!

I am also interested in hearing more about the anatomy and alignment of the legs/feet in Warrior I and II, and how I can make my students more easily understand the concept of “open hips” and “squared hips” in these asanas.

Andrea Ferretti and Jason Crandell are a husband and wife team who have been teaching, writing about, and living their yoga for nearly two decades. Andrea is creative director for Jason Crandell Yoga Method. Jason is an internationally recognized vinyasa yoga teacher. They live together in San Francisco with their full-time boss, Sofia-Rose Crandell, age 5. To find out where you can train with Jason live, check out the Schedule page.